As evocative as the poem goes, the theme pivots on longing and despair, on love bereft of the symphony of emotion, and on feelings that symbolize desperation and pain. The poet used the metaphorical agony of parallel lines that are bound to never meet each other. The poem is set in the realm of mathematics expressing the symbolical eternity of separation of emotions yearning for each other in despair.
A Desolate Path: The Parallel Lines’ Lament
In the realm of math, a tale of woe,
Once thought to be the X and Y’s throe.
But now, my friend, let me unveil,
A sorrow deeper, a woeful tale.
Behold the parallel lines’ despair,
Forever distant, destined ne’er to pair.
They glide through space, never to meet,
A cruel fate, destiny’s deceit.
They glimpse each other, destinies entwined,
Yet never shall their paths aligned.
Though side by side, they’ll never touch,
A cosmic dance, a tragic clutch.
For even as they head afar,
No chance encounter beneath the stars.
Destined never to unite,
A love denied, a solemn plight.
So mourn not for the X and Y,
For parallel lines, a sadder cry.
Their yearning gaze, forever estranged,
In Math’s embrace, their love is deranged.
Thus, in the annals of math’s lore,
A sorrow deeper than before.
The parallel lines’ eternal plight,
A love denied a somber night.
By Zazzie Garrido-Adolfo
(Dedicated to her daughter, Bianca Mae, on one of their General Mathematics tutorial)
Dr. Zazzie Garrido-Adolfo holds a doctorate in Management major in Human Resource Management (DM-HRM) and a master’s degree in Public Management (MPM), currently working as a public servant in the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) – Catbalogan, Samar. Zazzie is a graduate of BS Computer Science major in Computer Programming. Outside her daily grind, she does research reviews and research fora, proofreading scripts, and mathematics tutorials, reads books, and invests in stock markets and trading. By the way, Dr. Zazzie is a phytophile and is inclined toward farming someday.